Dragon Child
by Firenze Fox
Summary: After being chosen by the village Elder to kill the Monstrous Nightmare, Hiccup decides to run. Except then the Fates decide to interfere, and they bring the gods with them. Secrets are revealed, friendships are forged, and families are formed. THIS IS A "WATCHING THE MOVIE" FIC. NO OC'S.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N. First of all, the original version of this fic, called CWTA: How To Train Your Dragon, belongs to Time Lady of Gallifrey. You should all go and read it, as this version does have some pretty major edits. I know that they said they would give up all rights to this fic, but I can't help it, otherwise I would feel horribly guilty.  
>Also, there will be additional HiccupToothless bonding moments in the movie, but I will tell you this now: THIS IS NOT SLASH. IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT IT WILL HAVE ROMANCE IN IT AT ALL.  
>Refer to the AN at the bottom for background on the Network and Natchmagen. It will be further explained in later chapters as well. Enjoy! **

Hiccup paused, examining the items he had placed in the basket. Placing his sketchbooks on the very tip of the pile, he closed the top, double-checking that the clasp was firmly in place before turning and heading towards the shelf where he kept the complex pieces of leather that made up his flight outfit. Taking one last look at the place that had been his sanctuary for longer than he could remember, Hiccup hefted the basket and left the room. He glanced out the window, catching a glimpse of his father down by the docks, shouting orders at the Vikings who were unloading vast amounts of cargo from the latest expedition.

He'd left the note explaining everything resting against his father's axe that lay on the table, certain that the beefy warrior would see it when he returned to the house.

"Bye Dad, I know you're probably not going to miss me once you figure out the reason that I'm leaving. That's okay, though…I mean, I kinda got used to you being disappointed in me- the only difference is that this time I'm not going to be around to witness it."

And with that last muttered goodbye, the young dragon rider turned on his heel and left through the back door. If he went out the front, he'd be surrounded by Vikings asking how he went from Hiccup the Useless to Hiccup the Dragon Tamer, and he _really _didn't want to deal with that right now.

_Oh, man, why did the Elder have to choose him, anyways?_

Hiccup didn't want to kill the dragons, all he wanted was peace. Was that _really _so difficult?

But after what he'd seen on his second proper flight with Toothless-

_An enormous monster, completely enslaving the dragons, his __**friends**__, a dark, crimson red completely dominating the Network, forcing the other colors to retreat-_

-He didn't think that it could ever happen.

But before Hiccup had even taken three steps away from the back door, a brilliant flash took every Viking on Berk to Thor-knows-where-

Actually, scratch that, for the forces that took the Vikings were beyond even the gods' control.

HTTYDHTTYDHTTYDHTTYDHTTYD

A loud crack filled a nest far from Berk's shores, and a great beast roared as her servants were taken from her in a flash of white light. First, her only Night Fury had disappeared, only to reappear with a _human_- oh, for Loki's sake, did the dragon have no shame- on his back!

And worse, she sensed the human was a rival. Green Natchmagen had pushed at her own, and for a moment, her control over the network had snapped, allowing the majority of her forces to escape.

She had been greatly displeased, downing a Zippleback and two Gronkles once she had managed to recapture the majority of the escapees.

And now even they were gone.

A discontented rumble escaped her.

That puny human was behind this somehow. He and that pathetic Fury would pay.

HTTYDHTTYDHTTYDHTTYDHTTYD

The Berkians reappeared in an enormous cavern, each being dumped into an enormous mass pile except Hiccup, who was mercifully spared and breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"WHAT IN HEL'S NAME HAS HAPPENED? WHO DID THIS? I, STOICK THE VAST, CHIEF OF THE HAIRY HOOLIGAN TRIBE, DEMAND THAT YOU SHOW YOURSELF AT ONCE AND DECLARE YOUR PURPOSE!"

However, it was less intimidating than Stoick had hoped, due to the fact that he was currently busy being crushed underneath half the village. As they slowly and painfully untangled themselves, they heard Hiccup snigger. Stoick glared at him. Hiccup looked up in surprise.

"What? You're sprawled on the floor after nearly suffocating under the weight of over a hundred Vikings, and you're thinking that it's a smart idea to threaten the unimaginably powerful force that transferred us here. Look, if I were you, I'd stop the threats until we find out what we're doing here and whether or not we're actually in danger."

And with another flash, three cloaked figures were standing in the center of the cavern. Hiccup blinked. Despite his little rant, he hadn't honestly expected anyone to show themselves.

"Thank you, young Hiccup. It has been a while since one so young defended our honor."

Hiccup decided to keep the fact that he hadn't actually intended to do so to himself.

"We are the Fates, also known as the Sisters Three. I am Clothos, the one who spins the threads of life."

The blue-cloaked one extended a withered hand, pointing at its chest. "I am Lachesis, the one who measures the threads of life."

The grey-cloaked one made no gesture, but an even raspier voice emerged from underneath the hood. "And I am Atropos, the one who cuts the threads of life."

The green-cloaked one who had introduced itself to them as Clothos resumed speaking. "We do not control nor do we command destiny. We see only that it is brought to fruition. However, we have grown weary of the way great heroes have been treated through the centuries."

It was Lachesis who picked up the thread, so to speak. "We are endless. We have looked back through time to right the wrongs that have been done."

Atropos spoke next. "If you are not too blind, if you can see what has never been seen before…"

"Destiny shall be rewritten."

"Lives shall be saved."

"And perhaps…" Atropos mused thoughtfully. "Perhaps a family can be saved as well."

And with that rather ominous statement, the three sisters vanished.

There was silence.

Gobber was the first to speak up. "Well, Stoick, I for one say we do what the ladies want. It's clear that they have…something…and I'd rather not lose any more of me limbs. I'm rather attached to the ones I have left."

The surrounding Vikings started nodding in agreement, and Stoick frowned thoughtfully before nodding as well.

A rasping voice-Hiccup thought he recognized Atropos- spoke up, startling most of the Vikings. "Very well, please, sit. Relax. One of our assistants will be joining you in a moment."

One of the towering rock walls shimmered and disappeared. The Vikings stared.

They were in the middle of an enormous cavern. Furs were strewn over the floor, providing comfortable seating and warmth. There was a large, empty space to the right of where the furs were placed, and they glanced at each other worriedly, unable to think of who would be joining them.

There was another flash, and before them stood a young man. If Hiccup had to guess, he would have said around 20 years old, but he had the feeling that the man had been around for a lot longer than that. His suspicions were confirmed when the man introduced himself.

"Greetings, warriors. My name is Eutychios, meaning _fortune_, but you may call me Tychi. I am the messenger for the fates."

The Vikings, a bit beyond shocked by now, could do nothing except nod. Tychi accepted this gracefully and continued.

"I am going to bring in the other half of the audience, now, but I warn you- _no fighting will be tolerated_."

Hiccup's heart sank.

And with yet _another _flash-Hiccup was getting _really _tired of those things- the dragons appeared.

As soon as they registered where they were- and who exactly was directly across the room- the dragons reacted. Hissing and snarling, their eyes narrowed and gas built up in their throats.

The Vikings sneered, reaching for their weapons.

"I said, _SILENCE_!"

The weapons disappeared.

Shouting began to echo across the room. Vikings were not happy when you took away their lifeblood.

Tychi's face began to look slightly purple.

"I did warn you, did I not? Fighting will NOT be tolerated!"

The messenger sighed.

"Although…I suppose that is a bit too much to ask, for two species that have been enemies for centuries." With a flick of the wrist, an odd, shimmering barrier erupted between the two halves. "There. Now, listen to me. No one will be able to cross that barrier unless they mean absolutely no harm to ANYONE on the other side."

Grudgingly, the Vikings nodded, settling onto their furs, although most kept one eye on the dragons. The dragons did the same, blowing beds of glowing embers on the floor for the hatchlings.

"Thank you. Now let us begin."

HTTYDHTTYDHTTYDHTTYDHTTYD

Barely a second had passed until Toothless was assaulted by messages from every direction.

"_Who is the boy?"_

"_He smells like us."_

"_Does he have no sire?"_

"_Is he a flame-maker?"_

Suspicion, pity, fondness, and incredible curiosity sped across the Network, but the colors froze when a bright, vibrant silver lashed out.

"_ENOUGH."_

After the influx had slowed- the constant exchange of thoughts was never going to stop completely, after all- Toothless paused and continued.

"_He is my human. He has learned to Connect, and-"_

Golden sparks of shock danced over the shimmering grid, invisible to the oblivious Vikings.

"_A human? Connected?"_

"_How is that possible?"_

"_Did you give him a Dragon-name?"_

"_How did it-"_

Toothless sighed. He had expected nothing less, really. _"Enough. I am certain that what the Gods-Messenger is about to show us will explain everything. I am worried about Featherstone- and yes, I have given him a Dragon-name, and yes, he has been accepted by the Network. Ember-skin, you asked yourself if he has no sire. His sire has not Passed, but is about as effective. He has been alone for most of his life."_

"_But he is but a hatchling. Surely they wouldn't cast out one of their own so young?"_

"_And yet somehow, they did."_

The dragons wanted to ask more about the odd little human who carried their scent and was connected to the Network, but were prevented by images starting to flicker on the wall in front of them.

HTTYDHTTYDHTTYDHTTYDHTTYD

**The image panned over a dark ocean, moving quickly.**

"_**This is Berk. It's twelve days north of Hopeless and a few degrees south of Freezing to Death. It's located solidly on the Meridian of Misery."**_

Several of the villagers glanced at Hiccup in concern. His voice was instantly recognizable, and by the way the boy was shrinking into himself, they were his honest thoughts. Was Berk really so bad?

**The image moved rapidly towards the imposing silhouette of Berk, and then changed to show one of their fields, white sheep dotted on the mountainside. Panning to the left, it showed buildings set into the side of the cliff. **

"_**My village. In a word…sturdy. And it's been here for seven generations, but every single building is new."**_

"Well, it doesn't take much to figure out why that is, does it?" Spitelout groused.

The surrounding Vikings nodded. "Aye, that's true, if it weren't for those Hel-beholden dragons…" Mulch trailed off, mumbling under his breath.

Hiccup's heart sank to his knees and then went a little bit further.

"_**We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunsets." **_**Now Hiccup's voice took on a sarcastic edge.** _**"The only problems are the pests."**_

**A clawed leg reached down, snatching up one of the sheep. Meanwhile, the other sheep seemed to be barely affected. The one closest to the unfortunate creature shuffled over and began munching on the available grass.**

The Vikings glared at the dragons, angry that it appeared so easy for them to take their livestock. Hiccup smirked, as he recognized the leg that had taken the sheep.

Speaking of Toothless…

Where was he? Hiccup hadn't yet been able to spot him in the mass of dragons.

Hiccup's brow furrowed, and he glanced to either side before closing his eyes and attempting to tap into the Network. Toothless had shown him a few days earlier, and he had been nearly struck dumb by the amazing sight. He could feel his Natchmagen- at least, that's what Toothless called it- reaching out.

Hiccup would have fallen over backwards had he not already been sitting down once he Connected. The sudden influx of emotions was always a shock, and this time, there was an intense curiosity to deal with, with colors dipping into his own to sample his Natchmagen.

"_Featherstone. Alright?"_

He nearly cried with relief when he sensed Toothless's warm and familiar presence.

"_Yes. Alright. But nervous. Scared."_

"_Protect you. We all protect you, Featherstone. No worry."_

"_Where are you?"_

"_Can't see me yet. Too far up. Trying to come down."_

"_Okay. Safe?"_

"_Safe. Relax. We protect you. Family protect family."_

Hiccup felt a lump build up in his throat.

_Family. _

With a quiet goodbye, he Disconnected, lest the Vikings notice his complete lack of attention.

However, unbeknownst to him, Gobber had been watching the boy with concern. He had seen Hiccup doze off before, but that was in a completely different realm. The lad had looked utterly unaware of anything that was going on around him. Gobber knew that Hiccup had been having some rough days lately, but this…

_What if he wasn't in your life anymore?_

The thought had wriggled its way into his head and refused to leave, but Gobber stubbornly refused to acknowledge it. It wasn't possible. He was the boy's godfather, after all. Shaking his head, he turned his focus back to the screen, relieved to note that out of the corner of his eye, Hiccup appeared to be doing the same.

"_**You see, while other places have mice or mosquitoes, we have…**_**"**

**The image shifted to reveal a young boy opening the door to his home, only to slam it shut when a Monstrous Nightmare appeared, saw the easy prey, and breathed a column of flame right at the door. The boy turned around, holding the door shut with his body and revealing himself to be none other than Hiccup.**

"…**Dragons."**

**The image shifted again, displaying a Monstrous Nightmare chasing sheep up a hill. A Viking came running past, scooping some of them up out of the way while skillfully dodging the flames. **

"_**Most people would leave. Not us."**_

**The Viking dumped the sheep on the ground, leaping up and grabbing one that was being carried off by a Deadly Nadder.**

Stormfly preened.

"_**We're Vikings."**_

"Damn right, we are!" Called Phelgma, the Vikings around her cheering.

"_**We have stubbornness issues."**_

**A Gronkle flew past with a Viking on its face, hitting it in the head with a hammer.**

The Viking in question grinned before glaring at the dragons, seeking out the Gronkle that had dumped him from thirty feet in the air. He could still kill it, hammer or no hammer.

**Hiccup leapt off the front porch of his house, gazing about in wonder as the house smoldered behind him.**

"_**My name's Hiccup."**_

**A Viking landed in front of him, glaring at nobody in particular before snatching up the axe that had landed beside him and darting back off into the battle.**

"_**Great name, I know. But it's not the worst."**_

**Hiccup ran under a log, one of the Vikings carrying it stopping and staring at him in surprise. He lost his grip on the log and it fell, hitting him in the back of the head and knocking him to the ground.**

"_**Parents believe a hideous name will frighten off gnomes and trolls. Like our charming Viking demeanor wouldn't do that."**_

"Oh, and what's that supposed to mean, lad?" Hoark asked angrily. Hiccup gestured towards the screen in response, staunchly refusing to look anyone else in the eye.

**Hiccup was knocked to the ground by a nearby blast, and a Viking leapt on top of him, screaming in his face before greeting him with a cheery "Morning!" **

"Ah, sorry about that, lad, I may have had a bit too much to drink at the tavern before the raid," the Viking in question apologized sheepishly.

Hiccup smirked at him. "Clearly, as not only did you try to kill me, you also yelled 'Morning!' in my face when it is clearly nighttime."

Sniggers were heard around the room.

**The scene changed to Hiccup running past larger Vikings.**

"**What are you doing out?"**

"**Get inside!"**

"**Get back inside!"**

**Hiccup ignored them all and kept running, nearly getting caught in a blast of fire before he was yanked back by his tunic and held aloft by none other than Stoick.**

Stoick grinned at his image, but then frowned. Had he really looked like that when he was yelling at Hiccup?

"**HICCUP?"**

"**What is he doing-" Before finishing the question, Stoick apparently realized that none of the surrounding Vikings would have an answer, and redirected it at Hiccup. "What are you doing out?"**

**Without waiting for an answer, he flung Hiccup to the side, yelling "Get back inside!"**

Hiccup raised a hand mockingly. "Excuse me, but why do you think that they would have any bearing on my decisions? I know thirteen different ways out of the house that I don't even think you're aware of."

Stoick stared at him and then scowled. "You are showing me every single one of them when we get back."

Hiccup ignored him, but the dragons were looking on in interest. They wanted to know more about this strange one who seemed to be straddling two worlds, who smelled like them but walked like a horn-head…

Who Connected to the Network.

Who had _Natchmagen._

Oh, yes, they were very curious.

"_**That's Stoick the Vast, chief of our tribe."**_

**Spotting a Nadder flapping across the sky, Stoick picked up an abandoned cart and hurled it at the dragon, knocking it out of the sky and causing it to drop the sheep it had been holding in its claws.**

Stoick looked rather smug.

"_**They say that when he was a baby, he popped a dragon's head clean off its shoulders. Do I believe it?"**_

"_**Yes. Yes, I do."**_

**Stoick turned to the nearest Viking. "What have we got?"**

"**Gronkles, Nadders, Zipplebacks…oh, and Hoark saw a Monstrous Nightmare."**

**A fireball landed near the two and the Viking ducked under his shield, but Stoick didn't react, brushing off a burning ember that landed on his shoulder. **

"**Any Night Furies?"**

"**None so far."**

"**Good."**

The Vikings can't help but shudder at the mere thought of a Night Fury.

_The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself…_

Toothless, trying to pick his way down the nearly vertical rock face without dropping, saw the Vikings shudder and smirked to himself.

**The scene flickered briefly to reveal enormous torches being hoisted in the air, illuminating the dozens of dragons gliding through the night sky, and then the image froze.**

The Vikings turned inquiringly over to Tychi.

"I apologize, but I have to be going now. A friend of mine will be here in a bit to deal with any questions you may have. Do you think you can handle yourselves without supervision?"

Missing the sarcasm in Tychi's words, most of the Vikings nodded before turning their attention back to the screen.

It was Fishlegs, of all people, who spoke up first.

"Wait! Which friend? Is it another messenger?"

Tychi smirked. "Oh, I believe you know him well enough. He goes by many names, but you may know him as The Trickster."

Hiccup's eyes widened, as did Tychi's smirk. "Well, I do hope that he can make it through without blowing any of you up. He tends to do that when he gets exasperated."

And on that happy note, Tychi disappeared.

**A/N. WARNING: NOT ALL CHAPTERS WILL BE THIS LONG.  
>Ok, so the Network is essentially how the dragons communicate. I picture it as a large, grid-like net that expands over the world, connecting dragons worldwide. Each dragon has their own color on the network, which is how they identify each other, and their color is their <strong>_**Natchmagen**_**- their internal spark. If a dragon is not actively trying to communicate with others on the Network, then they will get glimpses of the emotions of every dragon, but not specific thoughts. Hiccup is Connected because he bonded with a Night Fury, and now the other dragons can't help but begin to see him as family. He is the youngest of them all, a misfit, and now on the Network- not to mention the fact that he has essentially been adopted and named by a Night Fury. However, he is able to Disconnect because he still feels slightly loyal to Berk- no matter how tenuous that loyalty may be.  
>I will try my best to update every Friday, but I make no promises.<br>If you have any other questions, please leave them in a review or PM me.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N. Firstly, I am soooo sorry for the wait, explanations and replies are on the bottom AN and PLEASE READ IT, there are important questions that determine the future of the fic!  
>Please enjoy!<strong>

**The image flickered back to life, showing Hiccup running past Gobber and into the forge. **

"**Oh, nice of you to join the party! I thought you'd been carried off!" Gobber grinned at his apprentice as he beat a red-hot bent sword back into shape with his hammer prosthetic. **

Gobber quietly cheered for himself, earning an exasperated look from Stoick, who was sitting next to him.

**Hiccup turned as he was fastening his leather apron and smiled. **

"**Who, me? Nah, come on! I'm way too muscular for their taste!" he said, beginning to put away Gobber's scattered tools.**

"Come on, Gobber, you can't even keep your own forge clean? How'd you even manage before I came along?"

Gobber scowled at his apprentice. "Pft, I managed well enough, and besides, it's not that bad! You're the one that keeps tripping around and knocking everything over!"

"No, I keep falling because you can't be bothered to put your tools on the shelf that's about two feet away anyway."

Hiccup sat back, satisfied, and left Gobber searching for a retort.

There was a pregnant pause.

And then Gobber slumped back into his seat, muttering under his breath.

The movie resumed.

"**They wouldn't know what to do with all…this," Hiccup said, striking a pose.**

"Ha, no kidding, Useless! You're too much of a twig to even make a decent meal!"

Hiccup didn't even have to turn around to know that it was Snotlout, and just slumped a little lower in his seat.

"**Well, they need toothpicks, don't they?"**

**Hiccup rushed towards the windows and swung them open, receiving an armful of chipped and broken weapons. **

"_**The meathead with attitude and interchangeable hands is Gobber."**_

"Hey, who are you calling a meathead?"

…

"Hiccup?"

Hiccup jerked and glanced over, pasting a smirk onto his face. "You, Gobber. I'm calling you a meathead."

Gobber was taken aback. He was expecting the sort of sarcastic comeback that Hiccup seemed to excel in, not…a statement of fact.

Something was very wrong with him. Hiccup never lost an opportunity for sarcasm.

"_**I've been his apprentice ever since I was little."**_

**Hiccup dumped the weapons on the coals and moved to the bellows, jumping up on them to force them to go down.**

Stoick sighed. When would Hiccup begin to look more like a Viking?

"_**Well…littler."**_

Snickers echoed around the cavern, and Toothless, still unseen, glared at them. How was being small such a disadvantage? He had been one of the smallest in his tribe before they had been devoured by the Queen, and his size had been treasured, allowing him more freedom of movement in the skies.

In fact, that very size had been what allowed him to survive. The Queen, for all her strength and keen senses, hadn't been able to see a small, black hatchling cowering in an alcove.

But for his hatchling, it seemed like the opposite was true.

**The image switched to Stoick, who was relaying instructions to another group of warriors. **

"**Move to the lower defenses! We'll counter-attack with the catapults!"**

**He followed them down a narrow pathway, narrowly escaping debris as fire from an unseen dragon set a nearby house on fire.**

"_**See? Old village, lots and lots of new houses."**_

Glares were thrown over to the dragons, who accepted them with grace.

…Well, if hissing, snarling, and generally being prepared to decapitate a few Vikings could be described as "with grace."

**The image closed in on Bjarni, who turned and yelled "Fire!"**

**Astrid's voice was faint but decisive in the background as she yelled "Alright, let's go!" and a wagon of sorts hurtled past the forge window. Hiccup rushed over and leaned out, watching the teens fill their buckets with water. **

"_**Oh, and that's Fishlegs-"**_

**The stocky boy ran towards the fire, carrying a full bucket.**

Fishlegs twisted in his seat and grinned at the chief's son. He'd always felt a certain kinship with the smaller boy. With their shared interest in books and statistics, they'd spent quite a lot of time together before it became clear that Hiccup wasn't particularly Viking-like, and his parents had dragged him away from his books and Hiccup and into the firefighters.

Eventually, they had drifted apart, as Fishlegs succumbed to the theory that anyone who spent time with Hiccup would become just as much of a…

Well, whatever Hiccup was.

Fishlegs pushed away a small pang of guilt, but it grew tenfold as the boy caught the grin and absolutely _beamed _at him.

Was he really so unused to anyone paying positive attention to him?

"_**-Snotlout-"**_

"Whoa, dude, I look awesome!" Snotlout cheered, and began chanting "Snot-LOUT, Snot-LOUT, OI, OI-"

Spitelout glared at his son.

"-Oi," Snotlout finished quietly.

"_**-The twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut-"**_

**The twins, as usual, were battling for a bucket.**

"I totally ended up winning that one," Tuffnut said reminiscently.

"Whoa, wait, what? No way, I totally got that, I bashed you over the head with it, remember?"

"What, no! That was the last raid, three weeks before!"

"Ha, in your dreams, you-"

"GUYS."

The twins froze. The only person on earth they were even slightly afraid of was their father, Alrik.

"Be quiet."

"Yes, sir," the twins muttered together, sitting back down. The rest of the tribe watched in astonishment. They missed the mischievous glint in the twins' eyes that promised explosions when they got back.

Lots and lots of explosions.

"_**-And Astrid Hofferson."**_

**She tossed her water on the fire and turned to refill it, along with the rest of the group. A fireball exploded behind them, framing them against a flaming background.**

The teens watched themselves on screen with no small amount of pride. This was their tribe, and they were doing their best to defend it.

Not like Hiccup.

"_**Aw, their job is so much cooler."**_

**Hiccup leaned further out the window, trying to catch a better look, when he was hoisted up by the back of his tunic and yanked away from the window.**

"**Come on, let me out, please? I need to make my mark!"**

**Gobber smirked as he placed Hiccup down. "Oh, you've made plenty of marks, all in the wrong places."**

**Hiccup stumbled back but regained his balance. "Gobber, please, two minutes. I'll kill a dragon, my life will get infinitely better!"**

Snotlout began laughing. "Really, and how are you going to kill it? Dork it to death?"

Several of the other Vikings began laughing as well.

Hiccup's eyes darted to Gobber and his father, and he shrunk further into his seat when neither of them spoke up.

But then again, they hadn't done it for his whole life. Why would he expect them to now?

"**I might even get a date!"**

This time it was Tuffnut who exploded in laughter. "Yeah, sure, with who? Mildew's sheep?"

Astrid stood and made her way over to Hiccup. "Okay, you know what, look. I will never, EVER even _think_ about going on a date with you, even if, by some demented miracle, you did manage to kill a dragon. Understand?"

Hiccup looked up at her, and Astrid's eyes widened. He looked…_bored._

Why did he look bored?

"Well, did you honestly think I had any delusions about you agreeing to go out with me? You'd probably be a hell of a lot happier if I died in a raid, just like everyone else on this gods-forsaken island!"

The room went silent, all inhabitants (human and dragon alike) turning to look at the boy. Hiccup's eyes widened, realizing exactly what he had just said.

"Hiccup…"

_That was Stoick, _Hiccup thought to himself, staunchly refusing to look up.

_I will not look up, I will not look up, I will not look up…_

Hiccup couldn't stand the feeling of the stares boring into the back of his skull. He looked up.

_Damnit._

Astrid was feeling thrown, and she didn't like it. She was a grounded girl who liked cold, hard facts that presented themselves so she could compensate accordingly. She liked to be able to sum people up in a few words. She didn't like people who surprised her, and that was a big part of why she didn't like Hiccup.

…Apart from the glaringly obvious, of course.

Snotlout, the inflated lug, was a stupid, egotistical boy who thought only with his muscles.

She knew that.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut liked sharp things and explosions, particularly if aforementioned catastrophes resulted in grievous injuries.

She knew that.

Fishlegs was a boy who, while kindhearted, would never become a great warrior, because he relied too much on statistics and too little on instinct.

She knew that.

And she, Astrid Hofferson, was the best warrior in their age group, handy with an axe and devoted to her tribe, and she absolutely, definitely, without a doubt hated Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III.

She knew that.

Then why did the broken look in his eyes make her feel like she just got jabbed in the stomach with the blunt end of an axe?

Barely a millisecond after Hiccup's outburst, the Network came alive again.

_Does he really think-_

_Such a rude girl-_

_No one here would kill him!_

_The Queen cannot dominate our actions entirely-_

_She cannot control our very Natchmagen-_

_Our very flame!_

_We would never-_

_No one even stands up for him, look-_

_His sire does nothing-_

_He smells so __**alone**__..._

And at that statement, the Network quieted, and heads turned towards the Nightmare who had last spoken.

_It is true, _mused Stormfly thoughtfully, _but only of his own kind. His scent is full of dragons._

_Aye, _piped up a Terror. _I smell you on him, too, Stormfly, as I do my own scent, and that of Doublebite and Emberskin._

The Terror shot a skeptical glance in the direction of one of the lounging Gronckles. _The scent of Boulderskin, less so, so muted is it by the Ambrosia Featherstone brings him. _

Boulderskin let out a low rumble of laughter. _True, Hawkbite. I'm his favorite, he knows I love it._

_A-HEM._

…_That is, after Toothless, of course. _

The dragons peered upwards at the small black dot that was coming steadily closer in odd hops and jumps.

_May the wind lift your wings, Toothless, _Hawkbite greeted, the other dragons echoing his salutation. _Why did the Fates place you so far up?_

Toothless snorted, and was about to reply when he remembered himself, politely returning the greeting. _May you always chase the sun, Hawkbite. And, well, I believe it to be because had they given me closer access to those horrible creatures that have the gall to call us monsters, I would have incinerated them the second that detestable boy started in on Featherstone. _

There was a rumble of agreement that held no small hint of laughter, but it quieted the moment a small voice made itself known on the Network.

…_Toothless?_

Hiccup was feeling more alone than he had ever felt in his life. The Vikings were staring at him, and Stoick's baffled look was making him highly uncomfortable.

He wanted friends.

He wanted family.

He wanted Toothless.

So he Connected.

Hiccup felt a small smile creep across his face, despite his situation, at the warmth that enveloped him. The Vikings were too busy chattering among themselves to talk to him, so he wasn't particularly worried.

…_Toothless?_

A chorus of hellos greeted him on his entrance, and Hiccup smiled.

_Featherstone!_

_Hello, hatchling!_

_Toothless tells us much about you-_

_It's so nice to see you in person-_

_We can't wait to fly with you!_

There was not a single antagonistic greeting to be had, and Hiccup was, quite frankly, astonished.

And then he saw the familiar silver color dart across the Network.

_Toothless, I still can't see you, where are you?_

_I'm sorry, Hiccup, the Fates placed me in a particularly difficult position. It's proving more difficult than I thought to get down. _

_But…why?_

_Why what?_

_Why are you in such a difficult position?_

_The Fates put me there._

_You already said that, but WHY?_

_And I already told you, the Fates placed me there._

Hiccup let out an undignified snort, and then hastily glanced around to make sure no one heard. Satisfied, he returned his attention to a laughing dragon.

_TOOTHLESS._

_Fine, fine, Hiccup. I suppose it's because had they placed me within easy range of the rest of your demented tribe, I would have incinerated them in less time than it took to scream "NIGHT FURY!"_

A giggle slipped out, and Hiccup's eyes brightened.

_The terror of the night-_

_The offspring of lightning and death-_

Hiccup paused, the infamous catch-phrase jogging something in his mind. _Is that even physically possible?_

Emberskin's head rose, flames flickering absentmindedly across his red hide. _Has your sire not even given you the Talk yet?_

Hiccup's eyes widened, but before he could say anything, Emberskin plowed on. _Well, of course, it wouldn't be physically possible between the two elements, but-_

_-Thor and Hel might not be bad bedmates!_

Hiccup choked. _Ewwww, Stormfly, just- that's disgusting!_

Laughter exploded over the Network like fireworks.

Stormfly's eyes glinted with the promise of more mischief, and lavender danced across the Network like a bubbling stream.

_Be careful of what you ask, hatchling, lest you get more than you bargained for. _

Hiccup grinned at the Nadder, who inclined her head slightly, a twinkle in her eyes.

He was getting an odd feeling. His skin was tingling, and he couldn't quite wipe a smile from his face.

Is this what having friends felt like?

_Oi, you lot, don't corrupt my little hatchling! He's only 13 moons past!_

_Aw, Toothless, come on, he already knows the mechanics, we were just having fun- right, Featherstone?_

The dragons turned to face Hiccup, who started. He'd felt so close to them while Connected that it was easy to forget the physical distance- not to mention the shimmering barrier- that separated them.

And then he registered the question, and felt a dull flush creep up his neck.

_I, well, yes, we were having fun, but…no to the first half of the question…I guess?_

Up on the wall, Toothless's eyes narrowed.

_So…your pathetic excuse for a father never actually bothered to sit you down and tell you about it?_

Hiccup was having trouble believing that he was actually having this conversation.

_Ah, no, not really, but I can't remember the last time he sat me down and talked to me about anything, actually, so it's not anything out of the ordinary._

Apparently, this was the wrong thing to say, as the dragons hissed as one.

A dark orange color brushed up against green (_Emberskin _, his mind supplied), and he smiled.

_Oh, hatchling, I'm sorry. No one should have to suffer through something like that._

_What do you mean? It's hardly what I would call suffering…_

And that one telling statement drove a shard of ice into Toothless's heart.

Hiccup was so used to being put down by the people that should have supported him, by the people that should have taught him how to use a weapon, by the people that should have encouraged his creativity rather than crushing it underfoot, by the people that should have done such small things as simply _explaining the mechanics of human reproduction to him-_

Oh, _Hiccup._

Toothless took a deep breath and leapt off the edge of the ledge that he had just been perched on.

The air whistled past him, and the screeching sound generated by the curve of his uniquely shaped wings began to emerge. He could already feel himself beginning to spin out of control, and sent up a silent prayer to whoever happened to be listening that the trip down would be a short one.

The ground was approaching at a rapid pace, and Toothless flung out his wings to slow his impact. It worked relatively well.

Relatively.

Limping slightly, he made his way over to the other dragons, touching noses with them before catching a glimpse of Hiccup, whose expression was that of exasperated fondness.

_What were you thinking, Toothless? You could have died!_

_But I didn't, did I, _the Night Fury retorted, grinning to himself. _And I think I did a fair job at terrifying your charming neighbors as well._

The Vikings were staring at Toothless, and then voices exploded.

"Night Fury!"

"Why'd that idiot take away our weapons?"

"It just _appeared_- like a devil out of Helheim!"

Toothless snorted. _In case you didn't notice, I came from up there, idiots._

Hiccup snorted. A few curious glances were tossed his way, but then he was abandoned for the more interesting subject of the sleek, jet-black dragon in front of them.

"No, you two, you CANNOT try and poke the creature-" that was Alrik, seeing as Ruffnut and Tuffnut were trying to scoot away from their father and towards the deadly, fire-breathing reptile- "Do you even know what that _is_? It's a Night Fury- the unholy offspring of lightning and death!"

Hiccup fell over laughing.

**A/N. Oh my gods. Guys, I am so, so sorry. I first posted this January, then said "Update every Friday!" and then disappeared off the face of the earth for 4 months. Seriously. I am so, so sorry, but if you guys want me to update quickly, then please help me out by answering a few questions below:  
>1. Ok, so the reason it's taken me so long to update is because my laptop broke the day after I uploaded the first chapter, so I've had to be hijacking my mom's computer whenever she's not using it- which is incredibly difficult. So…if anyone has a good laptop that they're happy with, do me a favor and tell me the make? I'm looking for something that can be EASILY transported, so small and light would be good!<br>2. Right, I'm asking you now, as readers, would you like Hiccstrid in this fic or not? You may have noticed that it can go either way from here, so I'm leaving it up to you!  
>3. Please, does anyone know how to make a line? This is vital to my sanity and therefore the wellbeing of this fic, so please, I'm begging you…<br>Now that the most urgent thing has been covered, let me get to the second most urgent thing- thanking you all for the lovely reviews and all the follows and favorites! 27 reviews, 61 faves, and 81 follows? Color me impressed, guys! Seriously, thank you all! *Hands out virtual cookies*  
>And now to replies for my wonderful guest reviewers:<br>Willow: First reviewer, and I love you for it! If you haven't given up on this story yet, I hope you enjoy the chapter!  
>hi: *Bows* Thanks so much! I'm so glad this is seen as an original concept by so many, I really didn't want to accidently plagiarize… XD I hope you enjoy the chapter!<br>NarnianGuardian: So sorry for the late update, I'm glad the concept appeals to you! I'm sorry I didn't get through much of the movie for this chapter. I hope you enjoy this one!  
>Argon: Well, it's nearly as long- final word count without the AN is 2841 words, so it's a little bit shorter… Thanks for the review!<br>Guest: Thanks, I hope you're not too disappointed about the fact that this chapter pretty much gives up all pretenses at being related to the original *looks ashamed* But thank you for the compliments, I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
>Centh: Yeah, I know… *cringes* And if you want to see how it ends, you're gonna have to wait for a while, I foresee a long story… XD Thanks for the reviews, sorry for the delay!<br>Jeane G: Thanks! I hope you're not too disappointed when I say that this isn't gonna resemble too much of the original when I'm done… Thanks so much for the review!  
>Stormfly1124: Here it is! XD Sorry for the delay, I hope you like the chapter!<br>Aurora: Ah, yeah, they were kinda…abducted by aliens…? Yeah, sorry, I have no idea where they went either :P but one's here now! And I solemnly swear I will never abandon this story, no matter how long it takes me to update! Thanks for the review!  
>SaiyanPrincess: Aww, thank you! I hope this chapter doesn't let you down!<br>Bec: Thanks, I'm so glad you think it's original! I promise you, this story will be finished…eventually… XD I hope you like the chapter!  
>If I missed anyone, please let me know! Thanks for reading!<br>**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N. I AM SO SORRY. AGAIN. And before you guys start reading, look up. Do you see those stats? 194 FAVES, 252 FOLLOWS, AND 138 REVIEWS. FOR A TWO CHAPTER STORY.  
>ASDFGHJKL I'M GONNA DIEEEEE…<br>Thanks so much to all of you lovely people! And now onto the chapter-I'm sorry that it's shorter than the previous two, but I figured you guys would want a shorter one sooner rather than a longer one later- am I right?**

Before any of the Vikings could attempt to say something else to Hiccup (who was still muffling laughter), the images on the wall resumed, and they turned their attention back to the story.

**Gobber sighed, looking mildly exasperated. "You can't lift a hammer-"**

"How on earth do you plan on surviving to adulthood, lad?"

Hiccup didn't react in response to Phelgma's mocking question, but, turned away from the other Vikings, he let a grin stretch across his face.

_Oh, I have my ways._

He caught Toothless's eye and winked.

**You can't swing an axe-"**

"Pathetic," muttered Astrid.

"-**You can't even throw one of these!" Gobber finished, lifting a bola from the table. He opened his mouth again, probably intending to berate Hiccup a bit further, but then a Viking seized it from his hand and whirled it at a passing Gronckle. It hit, and the dragon spiraled to the ground. **

Boulderskin and the surrounding dragons hissed as one, the other Gronckles crowding around Boulderskin. After losing Limestone to the Queen's ravenous hunger barely a week earlier, they were all protective of their own, and until the Forces had brought Boulderskin and the other captive dragons into this cavern, they had thought him lost.

The dragons weren't sure whether or not to thank the Vikings or kill them for keeping their kin captive instead of slaughtering them instantly, which would have at least shown a bit of mercy.

Boulderskin felt a nudge at the back of his mind and was nearly bowled over from the sheer immensity of the apologies that flooded in.

_-Oh gods, Boulderskin, are you okay, I never knew it was YOU, did they hurt a wing, I bet that's why you couldn't fly too well in the arena, I'm so sorry, I'll try to get them to understand, it wasn't me, I never- I didn't- Boulderskin, I tried, but they never LISTEN-_

His eyes flickered over to Featherstone, and he smelt blood.

A wave of fury washed over him with an intensity he had never before felt, leaving behind a melee of curses and threats because _whoever hurt Featherstone would have to answer to him-_

And then logic reared its annoying head once more- because he really did want to have a go at the flame-beard- and he noticed Hiccup's hands curling into fists, nails digging into his palms so hard as to draw blood.

He felt the gaze of the other dragons upon him and felt silver Natchmagen brush against his muted brown.

_Prove yourself able to protect my hatchling, Boulderskin, and I may not incinerate you for nearly killing him the first time you two met._

Boulderskin inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement- not bothering to ask how Toothless had known, he really didn't want to know- and cast his Natchmagen out in search of green, connecting almost instantly.

_Featherstone, hush. It's not your fault, lad, it-_

_But it is! I made it, I put it together-_

Out of the corner of his eye, Boulderskin saw Toothless's claws digging into the ground, and he could only guess at how much the lad's panic attack was hurting him.

He could only hurry before Toothless decided "_to hell with it" _and interfered.

_Featherstone, did you make rivets and nails to put together the houses on Berk?_

He _felt _Featherstone pause.

_...Yes…_

_And does that make it your fault when they burn down in a raid?_

…_No…_

_Exactly. Yes, lad, you made the bola that brought me down, but you didn't throw it, just like you made the nails that hold the buildings together but didn't burn them down. _

He could just about see Featherstone's brain working as his eyes widened and then narrowed, and sighed with relief when his fists loosened.

…_I don't get it._

_Do you trust me, lad?_

It was without hesitation that the answering _yes _was delivered, and Boulderskin tried to hide his surprise.

_Then you're going to have to take my word for it. No one here blames you for my capture, least of all me. You are not to blame for this, understand?_

Boulderskin grinned to himself as he saw the boy's shoulders relax and a small smile creep across his face.

_Aye._

Toothless resettled himself, his wings folding back in from where they had instinctively expanded when he was prepared to interfere. He was grudgingly impressed with Boulderskin's tactfulness in calming his hatchling, and returned his attention to the wall just in time to see a bola from Hiccup's machine knock an ill-positioned Viking unconscious.

"**See, now this right here is what I'm talking about!" Gobber roared, advancing on Hiccup, who backed away with every step forward Gobber took, looking frantically about for an excuse.**

Gobber's brow furrowed. He hadn't noticed at the time, but had Hiccup been backing away from Hiccup?

Had he been…_scared?_

The thought sent an unexpected pang through him. He had always thought of Hiccup as a son, and he knew- hoped- that Hiccup saw him as a father, in light of Stoic's…well…parenting issues.

But what sort of father frightened his son?

"**Mild calibration issue-"**

**Gobber pinched the bridge of his nose. "No- no, Hiccup, if you ever want to get out there and fight dragons, you need to stop all…" Gobber gestured with his hands helplessly. "…This."**

"**But you just pointed to all of me!"**

"**Yes!" Gobber exclaimed as he prodded Hiccup in the chest, happy that Hiccup was finally getting the point. "Stop being all of you."**

**An indescribable emotion flashed across Hiccup's face before he fell back on sarcasm. **

The Vikings didn't notice that the dragons had gone very, very still.

But they did notice when the very cavern shook with the blasts of fire aimed at the shimmering barrier, and the cacophony of roars deafened them.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" Gobber yelled, hands pressed over his ears.

"I DON'T KNOW, GOBBER, DO YOU THINK I KNOW HOW THOSE BEASTS THINK?" Stoick roared, his face turning nearly purple.

_That can't be healthy, _rationalized a small part of Hiccup's mind, but the rest of him was busy trying to calm the furious dragons on the other side of the barrier.

_He DARES-_

_Denying Natchmagen, is he-_

_Glorifying a False Connection!-_

"_Stop being all of you," what does he think-_

_Never leads to anything good, containing your Natchmagen like that!_

_STOP!_

Green Natchmagen flared up and out, crisscrossing the Network at an incomprehensible speed.

The voices fell silent, but in less than a second silver Natchmagen shot up, intermingling with the agitated green and soothing the blinding color.

On the other side of the blockade, Hiccup's shoulders relaxed and he exhaled slowly, burying his head in his arms so no one could see his eyes growing wet.

Why was he even crying? He had a family now, people who cared enough to take on axe-wielding Vikings for him- even if they weren't currently armed- and to actually make sure he was ok.

And of course he wasn't crying because what Gobber said was finally sinking in-

_They don't want you, don't you understand, you were never good enough, you will NEVER be good enough-_

Toothless's voice interrupted his spiraling thoughts, and Hiccup shoved the voice to the back of his head.

_Featherstone, I-_

_Toothless, just…don't, okay? This is what I get every day, this is what I'm used to, this is my life! I'm used to it, I don't need you swooping in like a fire-breathing champion to rescue me!_

_I shoot plasma, actually. If you want to know the mechanics of fire-breathing, talk to Emberskin- actually, never mind, he's busy making eyes at Firework._

Emberskin hastily turned back, setting off titters around the slowly relaxing flock and making Firework's lovely rose-colored scales turn a good few shades darker. _No, no, I'm here, sorry, what did you want to ask me about?_

Toothless shook his head. _Never mind, Emberskin, go back to mooning over your one true love._

Emberskin huffed and settled down, but it didn't escape the others' notice that his eyes immediately wandered back in Firework's direction.

_Featherstone, do you know what a False Connection is?_

…_No…_

_It's when…when… _Toothless's voice faltered as he struggled to find words, but the Network came through for him. An image of the monstrous creature hidden deep in the volcano materialized in Hiccup's mind, and with that came understanding.

_Her Natchmagen-_

A low growl rumbled in Toothless's throat. _Not Natchmagen, hatchling. That's what I'm trying to say._

_It's dark magic, _Hawkbite interjected. _Not natural._

_That's exactly what a False Connection is, _explained Tooth, nudging his twin.

_When you Connected for the first time, Featherstone, every single dragon had to acknowledge you, _Fang began.

Hiccup's eyes widened. _Every single-_

_Yes. It's something that becomes automatic, after a while. After all, the only way that one can Connect in the first place is-_

_If someone already Connected trusts you, _Hiccup realized, nodding to himself. _So you don't dig too deep into their Natchmagen, you only do…what?_

Stormfly recognized his puzzlement and picked up the thread. _We only skim the surface, enough to verify that they are trustworthy, with the heart and soul of a dragon. It was particularly easy with you, little one, _she added.

It took Hiccup a moment to pick up on the complement, but when he did, a red flush crept up the back of his neck. Before he could say something, though, Stormfly continued. _But the Queen, she forced herself in. You saw how she dominates the Network, forcing the other colors into retreat, yes?_

Finally, everything clicked. _So a False Connection is one that manipulates the Network against the others' will, right? _

_Exactly! _Toothless exclaimed, feeling pleased on behalf of his young hatchling. _But, back to our original point- if you're using a False Connection, that implies that you have something to hide- which is why you can't make a true one._

Hiccup nodded in understanding, remembering the first time he Connected. It should have been frightening, having all your secrets laid out in front of you for all to see, but for some reason, it wasn't.

Maybe it was because, in that brief moment of time that seemed like a century, everyone else had been offering him theirs.

_That's why Hawkbite mentioned that your "blacksmith" was "glorifying a False Connection". He made it sound like the only way you could become Connected to whatever the human version of the Network is was to hide yourself- to deny your own Natchmagen."_

_And that, _Emberskin added, looking unusually solemn, _is not a life worth living._

Oh.

_Oh._

Well, that explained a lot, didn't it?

Why the dragons were so mad.

Why he had never felt at home on Berk, even after trying so many times.

And especially why he felt so at home with the dragons.

Toothless's eyes narrowed as he realized something.

_Featherstone…I didn't feel you Connect this time._

And then his eyes widened.

_Did you ever Disconnect last time?_

Hiccup's brow furrowed as he tried to figure out why, exactly, this was so important.

_No, I don't think so. Why? Should I have?_

_What- oh, no, I was just curious. You've Disconnected before. I was just wondering why you didn't do it this time."_

_Oh. I don't know, I just…didn't feel like I had to do it this time. You lot are much better company than the blockheads over here, so…why not? _Hiccup flashed a smile at the gaping dragons and turned his attention back to the screen.

The dragons stared at each other.

Wind whistled through the cavern, causing several to look up.

_Soon, _it whispered, to anyone who was listening. _Soon._

_The Network shimmers, gay and bright._

_But crimson dark will bring the night._

_A False Connection in our heads_

_Ensnares us in its blood-red webs._

_Bowing down to a force unknown_

_The spark of hope has all but flown. _

_It seeks refuge in a hatchling's eye_

_Who seeks to know the wild sky._

_The Dragon Child will save us all_

_A heart so big for one so small._

_The Network will flourish, bright and light_

_Shakafki has ended the fight. _

In the old language, Toothless knew, _Shakafki _means "mistake."

He remembered Hiccup talking to him on a sunny day, one that seemed so long ago now.

"_I was a weak baby- well, nothing's really changed on that front," _Hiccup had said, giving a self-deprecating laugh. _"And it's Viking tradition to name the runt of the litter "Hiccup" because the runt isn't supposed to survive. It'll bring down the whole tribe if it does. And if it does, well…it's a mistake. That's what "hiccup" means to us."_

"_Mistake."_

**A/N. And I'll just leave you all with that, okay? ^^ The prophecy is my own creation.  
>In regards to the long wait, I…well…at least it wasn't four months again, right? *Hides under bed* I'M SO SORRY, PEOPLE, PLEASE FORGIVE ME.<br>Triple thanks to all of you who answered one, two, or even three of my questions! I'll be getting a new laptop in a bit, but I still need to choose- thanks so much for all your input! And in regards to the Hiccstrid, here's how the score stands: We have 31 people who definitely said yes, and 28 people who definitely said no. I'm still taking input on the Hiccstrid issue.  
>And now time to reply to some of those guest reviewers! I'm sorry, but I can't fit all the replies that I would like to on this page, so I'm gonna have to leave some out, but know that they are no less appreciated. Also, please leave some sort of measure of identification so I can reply to the reviews, because some people gave really awesome reviews but signed it just "Guest", and that was about a dozen people, so just…please!<br>DonTheHero: Yeah, I'm definitely leaning in that direction! Thanks so much for the review!  
>Bec: Your reviews give me the best feeling in the world, I swear ;) I'm so glad you like the style! And I'm thinking about ending with Hiccstrid friendship and then developing the romance in a sequel- what do you think? Thanks so much!<br>Willow: Thanks, I'm still deciding what to do for that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
>Animal Lover: True, very true…I'm thinking maybe about developing a romance with Hiccup and either Astrid or another female character in a potential sequel. Thanks for the review!<br>Rider: Thanks, I'm definitely leaning in that direction. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!  
>SaiyanPrincess: I LOVE YOUR REVIEWS. SO MUCH. I am definitely leaning in that direction. And no, no worries, I have absolutely no plans for other people to connect to the Network. Thanks so much for the lovely review!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Hiccup recoiled slightly before pulling himself back up and jabbing a finger in Gobber's face. "Ohhh…"**

**Gobber rolled his eyes, already making to turn back to his work. "Ohhh, yes."**

"**You, sir, are playing a dangerous game," Hiccup continued. "Keeping this much raw Viking-ness contained…there will be consequences!"**

Featherstone's head twitched to the left as Hawkbite burst out laughing.

_What?_

The laughter stopped as Hawkbite registered the hatchling's hurt tone. He felt a huff of warm breath on the back of his neck and turned to his right only to see Toothless's narrowed green eyes about an inch away from his head.

Toothless smiled. It wasn't a friendly smile.

_Yes, Hawkbite, what is it? Please, share what you find so entertaining._

Hawkbite gulped, his wings prickling at Toothless's poisonously sweet tone.

_Well, I- there's a reason why the other Vikings are so obnoxiously muscular and you're…_

A low growl began to rumble in Toothless's throat, echoed by the other dragons around him, and Hawkbite hastened to finish.

_So-called "raw Viking-ness" is nothing but hot air! And what do you know about hot air, Featherstone?_

Featherstone's brow furrowed even as a light began to shine in his eyes. _It…expands…_

_Exactly! They're just full of hot air! But you, when you say something, you mean it! You don't bluster, you don't boast, you just do! That's why you're so small and they can't fit through a doorway without having to coat themselves in butter!_

Hawkbite looked around expectantly, his horns drooping when the only response was a puzzled silence. _…That made much more sense in my head._

There was a beat of silence, and then Hiccup began to laugh. _Wow, Hawkbite, that might just be the first complementary thing I've ever heard about my size._

And then of course it was Emberskin who suddenly exclaimed, _Ohhh! I get it now! Raw Viking-ness IS hot air- so the Vikings are so big because they're full of hot air! And Hiccup isn't!_

There was a pause, and then laughter bubbled up through the Network. Hawkbite quietly sighed in relief when he heard Toothless settle back.

_You're right, Hawkbite. I think it did sound better in your head._

Hawkbite huffed in frustration, but relaxed when he felt Featherstone's laughter flit over the Network.

He would put up with a thousand barbs from the Night Fury to see their hatchling smile again.

* * *

><p>The film had been progressing while the dragons had been bantering amongst themselves, and they turned their attention back to the screen just in time to see Hiccup drop a sword onto the whetstone.<p>

"_**One day I'll get out there. Because killing a dragon is everything around here."**_

**The scene changed to a cut of the battle continuing outside, flitting over several Nadders picking over sheep.**

"_**A Nadder head is sure to get me at least noticed."**_

Stormfly glanced over at the redhead, who was currently refusing to meet her eyes.

_Featherstone, you know no one blames you, right?_

The lad didn't acknowledge her, and Stormfly huffed. She'd thought that, after Boulderskin's speech, Featherstone had finally recognized the fact that none of the dragons blamed him for his past ambitions. It was the society he'd been raised in. He'd been subjected to the idea that dragons were nothing but mindless beasts, that they were out for nothing more than human flesh.

It made his current stance all the more astounding.

**The screen panned down to a shot of Gronckles hefting up racks of drying fish and flying off with them.**

"_**Gronckles are tough. Taking down one of those would definitely get me a girlfriend."**_

Astrid rolled her eyes. Hiccup would need to do so much more than simply kill a Gronckle to get even one of the girls on Berk to look at him.

Also, with his luck, it would more than likely simply be an accident.

**The scene swept to the left, showing a hissing Zippleback approaching a darkened house. The right head exhaled a noxious green gas into the house, and barely a millisecond later, the left head had snaked around to the door and sparked it. The Zippleback hastily took off as the house exploded into flames, and screams filled the air.**

Fang and Tooth grinned, head-butting each other in celebration.

_Even though we're under her control-_

_That's how the Hideous Zippleback rolls!_

Stormfly stared at the preening Zippleback. _That was the WORST rhyme I've ever heard._

_Even worse than the stinky boy's "Snotlout, Snotlout, OI OI OI!"? _Boulderskin interjected slyly.

Stormfly paused, considering it.

_Alright, the second-worse rhyme I've ever heard. Wait- does that even count as a rhyme, or is it just some sort of demented cheer?_

Boulderskin turned a conveniently deaf ear as Stormfly huffed.

They both turned towards Featherstone, hoping that the verbal repartee had lifted his spirits, but he still refused to make eye contact. Stormfly's purple Natchmagen searched for green, but her eyes widened when she realized that the boy had Disconnected.

Why? Hadn't he just said that they were better company than the horrid horn-heads (which, of course, went without saying)?

* * *

><p><em>I don't deserve it.<em>

Hiccup's thoughts swirled around his head as he stared unseeingly at the screen. He felt unimaginably empty without the friendly Natchmagen brushing up against his own, but he knew- he knew-

_What was I thinking?_

Was this really how he had seen the world? Seeing his friends, his _family_, as nothing more than trophies- as objects to be killed?

Had he honestly considered _spilling their blood?_

"_**A Zippleback? Exotic. Two heads, twice the status."**_

Yes. Yes, he had.

"_Two heads, twice the status."_

"_**Then there's the Monstrous Nightmare. Only the best Vikings go after those. They have this nasty habit of setting themselves on fire.**_

**The shot panned up towards Stoick, who twisted back as a Nightmare burst through the platform, setting it aflame.**

"**Reload!" the chief shouted. He seized his war hammer. "I'll take care of this."**

Stoick scowled to himself as his hand clenched at his side. What he wouldn't give for the weapon now…its weight sturdy and comforting in his hand. No Viking should be this close to a dragon without a weapon- it wasn't _natural._

**He delivered a crushing blow to the dragon's snout, and the Nightmare scrambled off in search of easier prey. A screeching sound echoed through the night and Stoick looked up, his brow furrowing in what a person who didn't know Stoick might call fear. **

_Really, Firework? _Boulderskin teased gently. _Letting a horn-head go so easily? It's not like you._

Firework's violently red Natchmagen flared out, a teasing glint in her eyes, but before she could say anything, another voice interrupted.

Oh, Emberskin. Ever the romantic.

_Oi, you great lump, leave her alone! I'd like to see you try and take him down, all you'd probably do is try to sit on him!_

Boulderskin hefted himself to his feet, russet Natchmagen crackling with a wave of oddly sudden fury. _And you could do so much better, I'm sure. You listen to me, __**hatchling**__. I have seen dozens more battles than you could possibly imagine, I have seen the Network go grey in mourning for the lost souls who will never fly again. Do not challenge my skills as a warrior, Emberskin, I-_

_You what? _Emberskin sneered, spiked head rising from where he'd been lounging on a bed of warm cinders. _You are old, Boulderskin. You grew fat on cod and salmon long before She came, and you will be useless in the battle to come!_

Toothless lifted his head, alarm beginning to make an appearance in luminescent green eyes. _What-_

If any of the dragons had bothered to look closely, they would have seen a peculiar crimson haze overlaying the two dragons' eyes.

But none of them did- none, that is, except for a young hatchling watching the altercation with narrowed eyes.

No one noticed green Natchmagen creeping back onto the Network.

Toothless leapt to his feet, his iridescent Natchmagen forcing itself between fire and earth.

_Boulderskin, STAND DOWN, we cannot afford to fight amongst our-_

But it was too late.

Boulderskin's Natchmagen shifted and turned brittle, rather than the gentle malleability of the usual Network. A voice of landslides and earthquakes reverberated across the connections even as Emberskin unfolded himself, muscles coiling in preparation for a fight.

The Vikings were still glued to the past unfolding on the wall, oblivious to the drama unraveling in front of them.

_I? You think __**I**__ would be useless? You are young and foolish. You were captured trying to prove yourself to a mate- ha! As if anyone would ever deign to carry your hatchlings, to carry the shellbound! _

Emberskin recoiled, and Stormfly's spikes bristled. Fang and Tooth hissed as one- _Doublebite again, Doublebite forever and ever and ever_- and Hawkbite's tail whipped back and forth across the floor, betraying the small dragon's agitation.

But Boulderskin continued, implacable and inescapable.

_Did you yearn for a taste of the sky again, Emberskin? Did you miss your Natchmagen as you wallowed in your own feces, swallowing down the rotten fish that the horn-head threw in to you- as long as you were good? As long as you behaved yourself? You were a __**pet**__, an amusement to be fed if you did what you were told, an animal to be raised for slaughter!_

_You were foolish, child of fire, and you will never touch the sky again!_

Emberskin went rigid, and the dragons hushed as one. Boulderskin simply stood there, leaning forward as if preparing for battle, but his muscles were curiously lax, almost as if-

_As if-_

_OH._

Hiccup snapped.

Natchmagen the color of shamrocks in spring burst back onto the Network. Hiccup's eyes narrowed as he caught a glimpse of dark crimson binding the elder Gronckle's russet Natchmagen rigidly to the Network, disrupting its normally sinuous movement.

His left hand twitched.

And the glittering emerald light sprang into action, ducking under and over the electric crimson, and Hiccup smiled, but so what if his teeth appeared a little bit sharper, and his eyes a little darker-?

_Stiff means strong, yes, but stiff also means brittle, and brittle means easy to break._

The sound of shattering Natchmagen caused every dragon in the room to flinch.

Hiccup recoiled as a distant roar thundered through his veins, thousands of years of pent-up fury burning through his mind, scorching his Natchmagen, but he pushed back-

_**Because that's what you always do, isn't it, little hatchling? They say no, you say yes, they say it's impossible, you say wait, can't you see, they shove an axe in your hands and say spill blood, you pick up dragon nip and say make peace! But one day you won't be strong enough to push back, and that day**__-_

_IS NOT NOW!_

And Hiccup, the small, scrawny little Viking-but-not-Viking gathered all his strength and _shoved, _and the bloody crimson recoiled and faded off the Network, but not without one last parting shot.

_**No, not now. But soon.**_

_**Very soon indeed.**_

All of this took place in under a minute.

Boulderskin suddenly slumped forward, barely catching himself against the ground. The Gronckle blinked once, twice, three times, and looked around.

…_What? _

Stormfly shook herself, spines slowly falling back down against her tail. Oh, where to start… _You…you said his eggs would be shellbound, and…and that he was a pet, a sort of Coliseum animal…Boulderskin, what _was _that?_

Boulderskin stiffened with horror, his Natchmagen scattering across the Network until coming into contact with Emberskin's flaming magic, at which point he recoiled at the vibrant hostility.

…_Emberskin…Emberskin, please, I'm so sorry, I don't...I didn't-_

_Boulderskin?_

Toothless's head turned towards his hatchling, who was determinedly looking at the screen in front of him but unconsciously leaning towards the shimmering barrier.

_Featherstone, was that- was that _you_ that did…whatever that was?_

Featherstone ignored him, calling out to Boulderskin again. Toothless snorted, irritated, and placed his head on his paws. He'd figure it out.

_Featherstone? What? What did I do?_

Hiccup flinched at the sound of Boulderskin's voice. It was reminiscent of a lost and crippled hatchling. His fists clenched as he recalled the crimson Natchmagen binding the gentle Gronckle's struggling colors to the Network, changing it and hardening it until it bore a closer resemblance to the outside of the volcano where the Queen rested than the ether from which it had been born.

_Boulderskin, what's the last thing you remember?_

The Gronckle's yellow eyes narrowed, trying to concentrate. _I…I was teasing Firework about letting the horn-head drive her off without much fighting. Just for the record, my dear, _the dragon added, in a weak attempt to lighten the mood, _that was not an attempt to offend, and please don't brutally slaughter me. I am fully aware of your fighting capabilities._

Firework grinned at him, slowly relaxing as it became clear Boulderskin had come back to himself. _All's forgiven, rockhead. I'm not about to get myself maimed for that kariya of a dragon when there's much easier prey scurrying around._

Hiccup scowled at her even as he struggled not to laugh, which resulted in a rather odd facial expression. _Oi, watch it. I spent years herding those sheep around._

Toothless sniggered, edging over to the barrier and finally allowing himself to slump against it. Hiccup's hand twitched outwards, but he stayed where he was.

Barely.

The dragons were settling.

Boulderskin took a deep breath and nudged Emberskin's Natchmagen again. _Emberskin-_

_They wouldn't be shellbound._

The Gronckle hesitated, momentarily thrown. _What?_

Emberskin's head was on his paws, and his vividly colored wings were splayed across the floor. _Shellbound, Boulderskin. Surely even you can't be that dense. You said my eggs would be shellbound. They wouldn't._

Every dragon knew what shellbound meant. A hatchling that made it out of the egg but didn't survive long enough to even Connect, or worse, never managed to break through the shell at all. Near the end of the term, the shells became nearly transparent, and the parents had to watch the hatchling scratch frantically against the eggshell, had to watch their struggles grow weaker and weaker without lifting a claw to help for fear of harming the hatchling, had to watch their wings grow still as they slumped backwards, the last breath of air leaving their mouths in a rush of bubbles.

To be parent to a shellbound was to be scarred for life.

Firework unfolded herself and padded over to Emberskin, her spiral-patterned wings stretching out luxuriously. _I know they wouldn't, Emberskin. Your Connection is too strong for any hatchlings that you father to be anything but healthy. _

She nudged him. _Now budge over, I'm cold._

Emberskin looked up disbelievingly, but obligingly lifted a wing. Firework shuffled underneath and lay back down, purring contentedly.

_Emberskin, I really am sorry. I never meant to imply- I mean, of course your offspring would be healthy, there's no doubt- I really don't know what came over me-_

Toothless glanced over at Hiccup, whose Natchmagen had relaxed back into the easy flow of the Network. _It was her, wasn't it, Featherstone? You did something, you shattered her control! _

The boy glanced around and, seeing the others' attentions focused on the action playing out in front of them, returned his attention to the dragons. _Yeah, I…I'm not a hundred percent sure what happened. She was using him, speaking through him- binding his Natchmagen. She used him as a puppet._

Hawkbite glanced up. _A puppet? What's that?_

_What do you mean, what's- oh, right. When I was younger, a trader came to Berk- not Johann, someone else, I think he may have been from Rome. He had a puppet stall with him, used it to entertain us while the adults looked over the weapons on the ship. They're like little dolls, except they have strings attached, so the puppet master can control them by holding little crosses of wood above the stage that the strings are tied to. He can make them dance, fight, even talk- only using his own voice, of course._

Hiccup chuckled to himself. _I tried to make my own once he left. I think there are still some sketches in the forge somewhere. I'd tried to make joints._

Even as he spoke, memories flickered across the Network, brief flashes of a life that seemed so far away.

_Laughing and cheering with the other children as a small Viking brought down a carefully stitched Gronckle with a cardboard axe-_

_A small boy with a thatch of flyaway auburn hair after the others had lost interest and scampered away to look at the weapons- "How do you control them, sir? Do you use string? Levers? Gobber's bin teaching me about levers, he says that soon I can help him make them!"_

_Laughter, a kind, tanned face with warm brown eyes, "Would you like to see?"_

_Careful hands twitching a wooden cross and delicate fingers twisting strings, the boy staring openmouthed in awe-_

Toothless stifled a grin, although, if he was honest with himself, he felt a bit of a pang seeing exactly what he had missed out on.

_I should have been there._

Toothless caught and smothered the thought before it made it out onto the Network. No need to make everyone think he was nothing more than a teddy bear.

Although, looking at his hatchling, at the boy who laughed at himself- _shakafki, shakafki- _put up with the mud in his hair and on his face, practiced for hours on end in the woods with a sword, an axe, a dagger, only to stagger back as the sun set and be told _you are not good enough, you will never be good enough-_

Maybe it wouldn't do any harm for Featherstone to hear that.

Hiccup ran a hand through his hair, his eyes alight with the fire that Toothless had grown to love- the _Yeah-no-wait-guys-look-I-solved-the-thing_ fire.

_That's it, though. That's exactly it. She's a puppet master. If I can do that again, if I can cut her strings again, then I can take her down._

_I can set you guys free._

**A/N. Well. Guys, I am so, so sorry. I have midterms next week, so I really shouldn't be doing this, but the guilt was getting to me. Consider this a celebratory upload for HTTYD 2 winning the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature! Congratulations, Dreamworks- Loki knows you guys deserve it! Thank you all so much for your lovely comments, alerts, and favorites- I can't believe that I don't update for 6 months and I'm still getting reviews! Big shoutout to SaiyanPrincess and Lady Elfensenf for leaving the most amazing reviews I've ever gotten, love you both so much!  
>On that note, here are some replies to guest reviewers!<strong>

**SaiyanPrincess: I…I just..asdfghjkl, THANK YOU SO MUCH I'M BLUSHING! I'm sorry for making your family think you're crazy, and for any lasting trauma your pets may have incurred. But most of all, I'm sorry for the wait I put you through, thanks for being understanding with my writer's block! Ugh, those are the worst! And yes, I've definitely decided on no Hiccstrid for this…maybe in a sequel, I just don't want it to seem forced. Once again, thanks so much for the glorious review, I really hope you haven't given up on this yet!  
>ClearBear: Thank you! I haven't managed to pull my life together enough to get a new laptop yet, but Lenovo has been highly recommended…soon! I'm so sorry for the wait!<br>JustMe: Thanks so much! Totally agree with you, I'm going with no Hiccstrid for this one. Next chapter should be up in an hour or so, hope you enjoy it!  
>TheUnkown: Thanks so much! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!<br>TomgirlBre: Your wish has been granted, my dear. ;)  
>It is the rabbit: You're welcome x24! Sorry for the wait!<br>Maddy: Thanks so much, sorry for the wait! And yeah, definitely heading that way.  
>Lol'in: ^^ So glad!<br>Stormfly1124: Thank youuuu! Glad you're not too bothered by my massive hiatus… XD  
>Dragonryder12: Nope, no worries, the author's just really lazy! I swear I will finish…eventually!<br>Reader103: Check and check. :) Hope you enjoyed!  
>fruitbat92: I hope you're still just as excited to see an update! Thanks for the review!<br>star shadow: Thanks! And yes, definitely!  
>meg: Thanks! I'll finish it someday!<br>Emily: Thanks so much! Hope you enjoyed!  
>And double thanks to all my other reviewers who didn't leave a username- you guys are no less appreciated!<br>My New Year's resolution is to be better at updating this fic- let's hope it sticks!  
>Kariya: a derogatory term in the old language; rather like "bitch" is for English speakers<strong>


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